Conference turris::cooks

A couple of comments:

>crushed				minced			pressed

I think the U.S. equivalent is usually "ground" rather than "pressed."  For
example, U.S. "ground beef" (aka hamburger) for UK "minced beef."

>shallot				spring onion		scallion

If Australians use "shallot" for what we call "scallions," what do they call our
"shallots?"  "Shallot" in the U.S. means the bulbs of a member of the onion
family.  They look kind of like huge garlic cloves, but the skin is brown
instead of white, and there only tend to be a few per head.  The flavor is also
closer to onions than to garlic.

--PSW

    We have onions and shallots and spring onions - and our shallots sound
    remarkably similar to your's....
    
    most times onions are substituted for shallots...
    
    regards
    kevin

I have no first hand knowledge of Australia, nor of Australian cuisine: as it
happens the table I posted in .0 came from a book written, printed and published
in Australia...

/. Ian .\

    Below the Mason/Dixon line, the green part of the 'scallion' or 'spring
    onion' is known as green onion.  The lower part, the white portion, is
    known as either 'spring onion' (whole) or 'scallions' (chopped).
    
    The shallot is a hybrid - garlic and an onion.  It has the look and
    smell of an onion but it has an underlying garlic flavor.  It's far 
    less overpowering than garlic with a more refined/delicate flavor than
    an onion.  It's usage vary .. if you're looking for something that has
    alot of 'pizzazz' stick with garlic and an onion.  If what you're
    looking for is more of a delicate flavor in a seafood dish, try
    shallots, especially if a recipe calls for an onion (which tend to
    overpower the delicate flavor of many seafoods).
    
    
    
    - A Culinary grad
    

    Depending what you're preparing, especially in the US (Cajun, Southern,
    Southwestern B-Que - Missouiri, Oklahoma) there are so many different
    terms.  Many cookbooks have a glossary or a dictionary to help
    (example: deseed a tomatoe for Pico de Gallo).  Just as there are
    language barriers in cooking methods/techniques from one country to
    another, this also rings true for the US.
    
    
    Just an after thought!

    What do British and Australian cooks call our tomato sauce?   It
    is slightly thickened pureed strained tomato with at least a few
    italian-type herbs (oregano, basil) and usually salt and pepper
    added. Tomato Sauce is about as thick as what we call tomato
    ketchup or tomato catsup.  It can have many other things added
    to it, becoming "tomato meat sauce" with ground beef or sausage,
    "marinara sauce" with bits of whole tomato in it, "tomato
    mushroom sauce" with mushrooms in it, etc.
    
    --Louise

         What caught my eye was the frying pan/skillet differentiation.
    Frying pan actually seems to be more common a term in the parts of the
    US I have inhabited.  Both are used.
    
         However, no intention to be picky.  All in all, I definitely
    learned from the list.
    
                                        Greg

    re .2:
    
    ... and don't forget leeks!
    
    -Robin
    

    What American's call 'Tomato Ketchup' is (usually) Tomato Sauce to an
    Aussie (Mr. Heinz is trying to re-educate us but is fighting a loosing
    battle :-}). 
    
    I don't think there is a generic name for a herb/etc combination with
    pureed tomatoes other than "Italian Sauce" - under several trade names.
    
    regards
    kevin

A distinction, if you please 8^} :

when dried corn is ground, THREE products are produced, corn meal (coarse),
corn flour (medium fine), and corn starch (ultra fine).  Therefore, it
MAY not be correct to assume that "corn starch" can always be substituted
for "corn flour" in a recipe.  Some clues to help Americans to
figure out what is what:

If the recipe is European or Australian sourced, they probably mean corn
starch when mentioning corn flour.  If the recipe is American (North or
South) or Mexican sourced, assume they mean what they say.

If the recipe calls for addition of the ingredient toward the last few
minutes of cooking, as a thickening agent, then assume corn starch.
If the recipe includes the ingredient in a bread/tortilla/cake, it is
probably corn flour.  The exception to this is the cookie recipes, several
of which use corn starch...In this case, test drive the recipe both ways
and decide which you prefer BEFORE presenting dinner to the boss 8^}

FYI:  corn flour can be purchased at stores that sell many different
types of flour....try your local yuppy market.

Re: translations of terms:

another term I've often heard (and which confused me until I figured it
out):

European		American
--------		--------

Italian gravy		pasta sauce, marinara sauce, tomato sauce,
			etc.

    If you ever come across the spice 'vetsin', and you are trying to avoid
    MSG, please note they are one and the same.
    
    Re .10 (corn meal etc.)
    Where does 'polenta' fit into this scheme?  Is it made from corn, too?
    

>    Re .10 (corn meal etc.)
>    Where does 'polenta' fit into this scheme?  Is it made from corn, too?
    
polenta is made from corn MEAL, and a slightly coarser grind of meal 
than we are normally exposed to in Western America.  It is often sold as 
polenta meal for that reason (at least in California).  It is always 
possible to make polenta from regular corn meal - I have never noticed 
any difference in the finished product.  

FYI Masa Harina, used to make corn tortillas, is a form of corn flour,
ground finer than meal, but not as fine as cornstarch.  There are corn
flours ground even finer than Masa Harina...when used in breads/cakes,
in a half/half proportion with wheat flour, the flavor is enchanting, 
and the texture is the same as normal all-flour products.

    
    I think I should add the following. I have been doing a fair amount of
    cookery recently using recipes from several countries as sources. I
    found the following interesting.
    
    teaspoon
    ========
    
    Today the teaspoon is defined as 5 millilitres in Britain, America and
    Australia (I am told this common definition is because of the
    widespread use of the teaspoon as a dose in medicines).
    
    Tablespoon
    ==========
    
    Widely considered to be 3 teaspoons, the tablespoon is actually half a
    fluid ounce, which makes it 14.<something> ml in America (slightly less
    than 3 teaspoons), and 17.<something> ml in Britain (slightly more than
    3 teaspoons). However cullinary measures labeled "1 tablespoon" are in
    fact 15 ml in both countries.
    
    However... Australia has gone metric: an australian tablespoon is 20
    ml, or 4 teaspoons. According to several Australian cookbooks I have
    the Aussie culinary measures are indeed 4 teaspoons, not three (so
    beware).
    
    Cup
    ===
    
    Technically a cup is half a pint, but since it is not traditionally
    used in Britain the cup measures sold in Britain are in fact American
    cups (ie half a US pint, not half a British pint).
    
    Again however the Aussie cup is different - it is defined as 250 ml,
    
    /. Ian .\
    

RE: .12

In THE WAY TO COOK, Julia Child says that "polenta" is the high-class name for
"corn mush".  In terms of ingredients and preparation, they are identical.

--PSW

    The American CILANTRO is referred to as CORIANDER in other countries
    I've lived/cooked in.